Kane’s killer instinct keeps Tottenham on title prowl

LONDON – Harry Kane backed up his cheeky pre-match warning to Premier League leaders Leicester City with two goals in Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-0 thrashing of Stoke City.

The England striker posted a photograph of a pride of lions closing in on their prey on Instagram after Leicester’s dramatic 2-2 draw with West Ham United on Sunday left the door ajar for second-placed Tottenham to close the gap to five points.

It could have backfired had Tottenham failed to take advantage but Kane showed his killer instinct with his side’s first and third goals taking his league tally for the season to 24 — two more than Leicester’s hitman Jamie Vardy.

“What a performance! Stoke is a tough place to come and to win in the manner we did shows what sort of team we are,” England striker Kane said.

“We are not going anywhere. We are on the charge and we just have to keep doing what we’re doing. We scored four but could have had six or seven.”

Asked about the photograph he posted, Kane added: “It was just a few lions waiting to pounce. After watching Leicester drop points I have been itching to play.

“I had to wait a whole day and a half.”

Kane curled his side ahead after nine minutes and put the result beyond doubt with a cool finish after 71.

Dele Alli scored the other two, both superb finishes from Christian Eriksen assists, although the midfielder also provided a miss of the season candidate when he shot against the post after going round Stoke keeper Shay Given.

Tottenham, dreaming of a first English title since 1961, have a league-leading 64 goals while conceding the least (25).

They have been forced to play catch-up though with Leicester, and at one stage before they beat Manchester United 3-0 in their last game they trailed by 10 points.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino was full of praise for the way his young side are responding to the challenge.

“From the beginning we set out to win the game and we showed great quality and personality,” the Argentine said.

“Today maybe I feel more proud because we had to play with the pressure to try to catch Leicester at the top which is not easy. But we’re hungry and showed passion in our play. “We are still fighting.”

While Leicester remain in the driving seat for a surprise title, Tottenham look almost certain to join them in the Champions League next season having moved 12 points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United and eight ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal who are third and fourth. -Reuters